The invention relates to a heating cable mat comprising a supporting element of a foraminous, flexible material and a heating cable which is arranged on the supporting element.
The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such a heating cable mat.
When installing electric floor heating, a heating cable is placed on a base, usually directly on the available, underlying material in the premises, for instance concrete. The cable is fixed to the base in a predetermined pattern to ensure the proper distance between the lengths of cable, thus obtaining the intended effect per square meter of floor. Subsequently, the cable is covered with putty material which permanently fixes the cable in the predetermined pattern and which distributes irregular loads on the cable. The flooring desired in the premises, for instance glazed tiles or clinkers, is then laid on the putty.
If the underlying material is plastic, wood or some other inflammable material, it is necessary to apply a non-flammable layer beneath the heating cable. This layer usually has the form of a net, for instance, made of fibreglass or a non-flammable plastic material. Furthermore, the net may be used to fix the heating cable in the intended pattern, for example by attaching the cable to the net with the aid of clips or bands.
Attaching the cable to the base or the net is often time-consuming and constitutes a difficult operation when installing floor heating. Thus, it has been known for some time to prefabricate a heating cable mat of the type stated by way of introduction which consists of a net with a cable arranged thereon. In connection with the installation the cable mat can easily be unrolled in the intended room. The cable has already been arranged adjacent to the net in a predetermined pattern, for instance in a serpentine pattern.
According to prior art technique, the cable is attached to the net with tape or bands applied to one side or both sides of the net in the longitudinal direction of the cable mat. In one embodiment, three parallel strips of tape extend along the cable mat, and consequently, keep the cable in position.
This implies a relatively complicated prefabrication process where the cable has to be kept in position adjacent to the net to allow the tape to be applied and fix the cable.
Moreover, the tape represents a problem when installing the cable mat. The putty material which is applied to secure the mat to the base cannot penetrate the tape and, therefore, there is a risk of air pockets forming under the net. This results in insufficient contact between the base and the flooring arranged on the putty, which may cause cracks or irregular tension in the floor.
The object of the present invention is thus to provide a heating cable mat for easy installation of floor heating, which at the same time can be easily manufactured.
A second object of the invention is to provide a heating cable mat which satisfactorily lets through putty material in connection with the installation.
According to the invention, these objects are obtained by a heating cable mat of the type stated by way of introduction, in which the surface of the supporting element is adhesive.
This allows a simple provision of a heating cable adjacent to the supporting element so that the prefabrication can take place quickly and efficiently.
The supporting element preferably comprises a net made of, for instance, a soft plastic material. This means that the heating cable mat will be bendable and flexible and in a satisfactory manner lets through putty material which is applied thereto.
An additional foraminous, self-adhesive supporting element may be arranged adjacent to the heating cable so that the heating cable is located between two supporting elements. This means that the heating cable is fixed between the supporting elements and reduces the risk of unintentionally moving out of its position.
This second supporting element may, where appropriate, have a substantially smaller extent than the first supporting element and may comprise, for instance, one or more strips which extend along the heating cable mat.